Iqbal’s vision.
The lovers of Iqbal from different parts of the world, distinguished scholars, intellectuals, writers, fellow citizens, Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!
Assalamualaikum and Good Afternoon!!!
It is indeed matter of great honour, pride and privilege for me to welcome you all in this thought provoking, scholarly distinguished and intellectually empowered session on Iqbal’s vision. As a Chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters, it is my official duty but as a law abiding layman Pakistani, it is my moral obligation and proud responsibility to do this.
Ladies and Gentlemen!!!
Let me utter with pride and confidence that as a nation we feel proud when we count Iqbal as our national poet. But as a staunch admirer of Iqbal and as a humble follower of his vision, I strongly believe that Iqbal is the universal gift of nature to all the nations of the world. He is the real man if merit and excellence who transcends geographical boundaries and time limits. HIS title of being a national poet of Pakistan is indeed a great blessing for Pakistani nation.
His intellect, worth, message and philosophy represents entire humanity and we find number of literaray allusions, direct and indirect references of all the greatest minds of all the times and his love for all the beautiful and intellectual souls of the world.
As for as the Muslim world and Muslim Ummah is concerned, Iqbal seems peerless and matchless among his contemporaries and successors. His insight and vision for Muslim Ummah and its unity is like a vibrant voice of modern visionary with prophetic qualities of excellence and clarity.
But when we go through his poetry and visionary message, we come to know that he has great admiration for Shakespeare and Karl Marx, thoughtfulness of Emerson and Goetthe, philosophical insight of Nietzche and Kant. He quotes the greatness of Dara, Rustum, Alexander; the achievements of Budha and Guru Nanak and even the treacherous ways of Mir Jaffer, Samri, Abu Lahab and others. It suggests his approach and understanding of both positive and negative forces of the world with message to follow truth and condemn the evil.
Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!!
Iqbal’s message of Khudi and his concept of Mard e Momin with characteristics of Shaheen are indeed universal symbols. Iqbal has great concern for Muslim Ummah, its revival, reawakening, unity and ultimate force for human salvation.
But at the same time, we find his best verses representing entire humanity and its salvation.
Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!
Iqbal’s message needs newer and modern interpretations. The era we live in today poses serious and grave threats . Terrorism, intolerance, international strifes and modern challenges pose great threats to humanity and world peace. In this hour of crisis, only the Superman with qualities of Shaheen rising above ordinary pursuits can find solutions to these modern challenges. Thus, today is the ripe time to reinvestigate, reinterpret and research Iqbal’s universal message.
Today the presence of our worthy ambassadors in this session suggest that Pakistan Academy of Letters has taken right step in right direction. Today’s session will open the newer vistas of Iqbal’s vision. Iqbal’s birthday today opens the new doors of Iqbal’s message.
I will not take much if your time as the learned speakers will shed light on different aspects of Iqbal’s message and its universality. But let me say it with confidence that we are making a newer beginning of Iqbaliat. From now onwards we will make newer endeavors to study Iqbal from international perspectives and I am sure this ambassador conference is going to yield newer fruits.
I am highly delighted to welcome all our dignitaries here once again. At this moment let me express my gratitude to worthy minister for education Mr. Shafqat Mehmood. His cooperation has indeed given us faith and encouragement to think beyond the box. His nodding smile to our proposals and cooperation always gives us greater encouragement to arrange such beautiful sessions.
I am also grateful to my team of Pakistan Academy of Letters for standing firm and enthusiastic in all our endeavors.
I am also thankful to Pakistani literati and entire audience for their support and kind presence.
I thank you all and wish you greater session ahead.
Stay blessed and keep enjoying the proceedings of the day..
Allah Hafiz..
There is no doubt that Iqbal is champion of Islamic ideology and in his poetry we find the unity, awakening and revival of muslim Ummah as the recurring theme. But the detailed and minute study of Iqbal shows that he raised above this cause and is all inclusive about humanity where he speaks about entire humanity without any discrimination of caste, color, creed and class. His message of Khudi, human struggle, pursuit of excellence and revolt against oppression are universal in approach. Iqbal invites every human being to attain glory and everlasting success. He tells that human glory is hidden in constant struggle and in incessant evolution. In this approach man stands supreme to even celestial bodies like stars, the sun and the moon who follow routine without any vision of change.
He rightly says..
Human dignity lies in the principle of evolution.
Man is far better than the moon and its revolution.
While quoting the ascending of the Prophet pbuh to heaven, he declares it as the greatest achievement of man who dwells on earth. He says
The mairaj of the prophet teaches
The glory of man where he reaches.
In short we find universalism and humanism as the essence of Iqbal’s poetry. In this aspect he represents both East and the west. For him human dignity matters more than geographical and racial boundaries.
Ladies and gentlemen!!
The national growth and integrity is achieved through the contribution of the literary figures and creative writers of that country. These literary giants infuse the spirit of patriotism, humanism and progress among the laymen and prepare them for greater national cause. Among such enlightened literati we Pakistanis are lucky enough to have scholar like Allama Iqbal as one of our founding fathers. The true leutinent of Quaid e Azam M. Ali Jinnah and the real visionary leader of his time, Iqbal had infused literary n spiritual touches in Pakistan moment.
In those yore days when world was devoid of technological miracles and communication was not as quick as today, Iqbal had good working relationship n speedy contacts with renowned world leaders and men of letters. His vast readings had enabled him to have acquaintance with different world movements and renowned figures of the world. In this pursuit Iqbal also visited number of the countries and interacted with scholars, intellectuals and notable figures of those countries. He also interacted with common men and recorded his observations about them in his poetry and prose.
There are three basic sims and objectives of today’s Embassadors conference.
To introduce Iqbal’s vision and it’s significance to world youth.
To establish relations and friendly terms with the countries and those international scholars whom Iqbal has mentioned in his poetry.
The third objective is related with the vision of Pakistan Academy of Letters which envisions to establish Global literary circle of scholars in today’s world. PAL has vision to establish linkages of Pakistani literati and international scholars to work together on global themes. This international exposure and interaction will encourage world scholars to collaborate, exchange and coordinate with each other for global goodness and universal solutions to human problems faced by today’s world.
To achieve all these goals today’s conference is going to be the greater initiative.
Presidential Talk.
Respectable Shafqat Mehmood, Federal Minister,
Dr. Yousuf Khushk, chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters,
Professor, Fateh
…..
Thank you all for your kind and benign presence in this beautiful event celebrating the vision of Iqbal.
The learned scholars like Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik, Dr. Ayoob Sabir and Senator Walid Iqbal have shed scholarly light on the life, vision and literaray achievements of Allama Iqbal. Without any doubt, these scholars are counted as authority on Iqbal and his message. Their talk has enlightened our souls and from them, we have learnt a great deal of new things with newer dimensions about Iqbal’s poetry and his vision.
I express my deep gratitude to all the worthy ambassadors for their kind presence here.
I appreciate the way they have spared their precious time for this scholarly session out of their busy and hectic schedule.
I felt much delighted and honoured when I listened them speaking about Iqbal and his universal vision. Their talk enabled us to understand the universality in the message of Iqbal. Iqbal is not only the pride of Pakistan but infact he is the champion of Muslim Ummah and an ambassador of universal thought and equality.
The findings of international aspects and elements of universalism in the poetry of Iqbal remind me the following lines of Iqbal.
……
The nature has endowed me universal essence
Earthly in composition, I touch the heaven’s fence.
….
The man of God is devoid of any mark,
He can’t be described as man of the East or West.
Delhi, Safyan, Samarkand can’t divide me,
At every place I am the best..
Iqbal can’t be restricted as the poet of one region, one country or one language. In his approach, message and vision, he is indeed a universal figure.
Iqbal is nature’s gift to entire humanity. It is indeed matter of utmost privilege and pride of Pakistan that he is our national poet and he belongs to us.
All the leading poets of the world focus and directly address their own people but Iqbal is a universal figure who addresses every nation of the world. His addressee is entire humanity. His message is the message of humanism. Universality is his mark.
A great portion of his poetry is based on his first hand observations around the globe. He highlights the wisdom and intellectual greatness of every nation. He turns the heroes of different nations as universal and international symbols.
He has paid rich tributes to all the legends of the world irrespective of any discrimination of race, caste, color and creed. This indicates his magnanimity an positive farsightedness.
Even his criticism is devoid of personal biasness. His observations are based on principles of right and universal goodness.
He says:
Even my own people disagree with me,
For I never utter poison harmless,
No matter how sweet it could be.
Iqbal is studied and analysed at greater levels but still much is left to be discovered. His message always need to be rediscovered according to the parameters of the changing world. And I am confident that as a safe and visionary poet; his message has a universal appeal which unfolds it’s significance in every changing moment of life.
Therefore we must not remain satisfied for what we have discovered about Iqbal till now. There is greater need to rediscover Iqbal in every age. He has himself pointed out that:
Even Iqbal can’t measure his greatness and dignity,
It’s not as simple, for he has been endowed with sublimity.
In end, I congratulate Chairman PAL, Dr. Yousuf Khushk and his entire team for arranging such a wonderful conference and reminding all of us to our greatest duty to the greatest soul of the soil.
Stay blessed.
Pakistan Zindabad..
mikesalu 